Modulating connection for pianos.



PATENTED SEPT. 17, 1907.

T. P. BROWN.

MODULATING CONNECTION FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.23.1904.

Tdf l'nesses UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE P. BROWN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SIMPLEXPIANO PLAYER COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFMASSACHU- SETTS MODULATING CONNECTION FOR PIANOS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 17, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, Tnnononn P. BnowN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Modulating Connection forPianos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic piano players.

The especial object of this invention is to provide simple and efficientmeans for controlling the striking mechanism of a piano so as to produceaccented or modulated effects from a piano player.

To this end this invention consists of the parts and combinations ofparts as hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in theclaims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawings, Figure l is a sectional viewof sucfliient parts of a piano action to illustrate the application ofthis invention thereto, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustratingthe connections for operating parts of the hammer-rail from a hand-leverIn the use of piano players of the class to which this invention relatesin order to produce accented or modu lated effects it has been proposedto operate the striking devices of the player itself with differentdegrees of air tension. For example, in one form of construction it hasbeen proposed to throttle or restrict the air tensions which will soundthe bass notes when it is desired to produce accented or modulatedeffects from the treble notes, and to throttle the air supply forsounding the treble or high notes when it is desired to producemodulated or accented effects in the bass.

In an apparatus constructed according to this invention instead ofthrottling or controlling the air tensions to produce accented ormodulated effects, I employ manually controlled connections forproducing accented or modulated effects from an automatic piano playerby a regulation of the piano action.

In the use of an apparatus constructed according to this invention allthe devices of the piano player operate under uniform air tensions;while modulated or accented effects are secured by a direct control ofthe piano action, whereby differentiated effects may be produced betweennotes sounded on different parts of the action. For example, in order toaccent the treble or high notes of a musical composition, means areprovided for softening the bass or lower notes, which means arecontrolled by manually controlled connections to be operated by theperson using the piano player.

eferring to the accompanying drawings and in detail Fig. 1 shows partsof an ordinary piano action comprising sounding devices for each note,consisting of the wire or string 10, the damper 11 which normallyiner-rail 16.

prevents the string from sounding and the hammer or striker 12.- Thedamper'll is released and the hammer is operated by connections from awippen 13 which may be lifted by an abstract 14 from the key-lever 15.These parts may be of any of the ordinary or usual constructions andneed not be herein described at length. The connections from the pianoplayer may be made to strike the key-levers 15, or operate upon otherparts of the piano action. When in their ordinary position, the hammers12 are supported by a ham- The hammer-rail 16 instead of being made inthe form of a single piece or bar as in ordinary pianos, is made in twoor more independent pieces which are pivotally supported by arms orlinks 1'7. In this construction one part of the hammer-rail 16 may belifted by a rod 26 which extends down into position to be engaged by alever 27 which lever 27 may be mounted in a bracket 28 immediately belowthe key-board and inside of the piano casing. Engaging the lever 27 isan arm 29 extending from a rock-shaft 30. The other piece of the dividedhammer-rail 16 may be lifted by a rod 31 which extends down intoposition to be engaged by a lever 32 pivoted on a bracket 33 at theother side of the piano casing, and also below the key-leversv The lever32 is engaged near its other end by an arm 34 also extending from therock-shaft 307 At its front end the roc '-shaft 30 is provided with ahand-lever 35 which is located at the front of the piano keys, and inposition to be manipulated by a person who is using an inclosedautomatic piano player.

By means of the last described construction the same lever may beemployed for softening either the bass or treble notes, as desired. Forexample, when the lever is operated in one direction the bass notes aresoftened or modulated; while when the lever is turned in the oppositedirection the treble notes will be softened or modulated.

So faras I am advised, pianos have heretofore never been constructedwith a lever linger-button or other manually operated part forcontrolling the pianissimo devices of the piano action. In fact thepianissiino devices used in connection with piano actions have allheretofore been controlled from the foot-pedals. By my construction,however, I am enabled to securea manually controlled pianissimo devicefor the piano action which especially adapts the same for use inconnection with the piano playing instrumentalities, more especially ofthe class of piano-players which are housed within the piano casing.

I am aware that changes may be made in practicing my invention by thosewho are skilled in the art with out departing from the scope of myinvention as ex pressed in the claims. That is to say, the particularobject of my invention is to provide means for controling a piano actionso that the uniform striking effects of a piano player may be made toproduce accented or modulated effects. 4

I do not wish, therefore, to be limited to the particular construction Ihave herein shown and described, but

What I do claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is 1. The combination of a piano comprising a two-part hammerrest-rail, connections for lifting the parts of the hammer rest railcomprising two lifting rods, inwardly extending levers for said liftingrods, a rock shaft having arms engaging the levers, and an operatinglever extending up from the rock-shaft at the front of the key-board,

whereby part of the striking devices of the piano action will bemodulated when the lever is moved in one direction, and another part ofthe striking devices will be modulated when the lever is moved in theopposite direction.

2. In a piano, the combination of a two-part hammer restrail, each partbeing independently pivoted, two rods for swinging said partsindependently, and a device for operating either of the rods withoutoperating the other.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

THEODORE P. BROWN.

Witnesses JonN F. CROWELL,

PHILIP W. SOUTHGATE.

